Flyers add Murphy to coaching staff, drop Paddock

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Flyers add Murphy to coaching staff, drop PaddockThe Philadelphia Flyers added Gord Murphy to their staff as an assistant coach Wednesday and announced John Paddock will not return next season.

The Philadelphia Flyers added Gord Murphy to their staff as an assistant coach Wednesday and announced John Paddock will not return next season.

Murphy, 47, will be entering his 12th season as an NHL assistant coach. He was most recently an assistant coach for the Florida Panthers from 2010-13. He entered the coaching ranks in 2002 with the Columbus Blue Jackets following his retirement as a player, and held that job until June 2010.

"I'm very excited and really looking forward to the opportunity and challenge of working with the Flyers organization and with Craig Berube and his staff," Murphy said. "I couldn't be more thrilled for this opportunity for myself and my family coming back to Philly.

"As a former player and now the last 11 years in my role as an assistant coach, I consider myself a good teacher with a good balance of experience. I really look forward to working with and mentoring the defensemen everyday by having them continue to improve and get the Flyers to where we all want to be."

Murphy was a ninth-round pick (No. 189) of the Flyers in the 1985 NHL Draft and won a Calder Cup with the Hershey Bears, then the American Hockey League affiliate of Philadelphia, in 1988. He spent the first 3 1/2 seasons of his NHL career with the Flyers, scoring 31 goals and 128 points in 261 games before being traded to the Boston Bruins on Jan. 2, 1992.

In 862 NHL games with the Flyers, Bruins, Florida Panthers and Atlanta Thrashers, Murphy had 85 goals and 323 points along with 668 penalty minutes. He posted three goals and 19 points in 53 career Stanley Cup Playoff games, including runs to the Wales Conference Final with the Flyers in 1989 and Boston in 1992, and the Stanley Cup Final with Florida in 1996.

"Gord brings a wealth of experience as a player and as a coach at the NHL level." Flyers general manager Ron Hextall said. "We are excited to have Gord on our staff and look forward to him working with our defensemen and the rest of our coaching staff."

Paddock spent time with the Flyers as assistant general manager and assistant coach.

"We'd like to thank John for being an integral part of our organization and we wish him the best in his future endeavors," Hextall said.

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